Vision for Devotion
by Simplicity13
Summary: "A war orphan with a scar that means something, taken in by someone who had no other choice. Sound familiar?" She glared at him from across the room. Maren Capulet had more in common with Potter than she cared to admit. And yet she didn't. She had a scar. It was from a malfunctioning jinx. She was an orphan. Her parents, however had not died to protect her.
1. It Begins

_"No." Severus Snape flinched, "p-please. Don't kill me." he took a step back as the old wizard appeared in front of him with a flash of bright light. "P-protect them, I-I beg you." He didn't usually stutter, but after what he had seen… No. He couldn't think about it._

 _"What will you give me in return?" Albus Dumbledore was a reasonable man, if Severus truly had a change of heart, he would be more than willing to make an arrangement. He looked so shaken up, the man had seen so many horrid things.  
The wind whipped around the two men, as if it could sense that something was terribly horribly wrong. They were, after all, in the middle of a war. Knowing full well what was at stake, Severus Snape made his answer,_

"Anything."

* * *

When Severus agreed to do anything, he certainly did not expect to be handed an orphaned child and the task of becoming a double agent. The two just didn't seem to go together. Living a double life, full of danger, and raising a witch.

He supposed that Lily would have admired him for it, so he took the young girl, Maren Capulet, a Half-Blood witch. But that was the key, would have. Now she was dead. Lily Evans, for she would always be Evans to Severus, was dead, and she would never know what he had done to redeem himself.

So now he was stuck with a child to raise, and the impossible task of fooling the Dark Lord.

He looked down at the child in his arms, and sighed. Severus already regretted taking her in, but he couldn't just march up to Dumbledore and hand the poor thing back.

Poor thing. That kind of thinking would get him in trouble. He'd be best off not forming any sort of attachment to her. He would just have to deal with his actions.

Maren Emiley Capulet would also have to 'deal with it', but that wasn't going to be for some time. For now, Severus would just have to worry about raise her to be his ideal child, without killing her, or doing anything to rid himself of the little thing.

* * *

Life with Severus Snape was not as bad as many might have thought. It might have been a constant game of dancing around topics, and hiding emotions, but it was still pleasant, especially for a child who had grown up knowing nothing else.

He had expectations, just like any other parent would have. Maren knew these expectations and strove to meet them, just like any respectful child would have. Severus had sat her down when she was still quite young and explained where she had come from, and what she must do.

It was by no means a father-daughter relationship, but they both got what they needed. For Maren, it was a roof over her head and food in her belly, and for Severus, it was a good reputation with the old fool Dumbledore and a bright spot in his day.

Yes, our dear Severus Snape had developed a soft spot for the dark haired, blue eyed witch against his better judgment. Who wouldn't, with her love for anything he did, and her eagerness to prove herself to him.

The only exception to that, occurred one sunny August day a few weeks after she had turned six. Severus had brewed a batch of Felix Felicis and left it out. Maren had seen it, and being 6, thought that the color was very pretty.

She had picked it up to examine it, and try to guess what potion it was. "Maren! Don't touch that." Severus swept back into the room. He hadn't meant to sound angry, but he must have, for the child started, and dropped the bottle. It hit the ground with a splat, the golden liquid contrasting with the dark floor.

"I-I'm sorry." Maren looked up at him, his dark eyes were cold and he looked about ready to smash something himself. "I was j-just looking at it." She trailed off.

"Just looking at it?" His voice was deadly calm, not a good sign. "What have I told you, Maren, about just looking at a potion?"

"That you look with your eyes, and not with your hands." She squeaked. "But it's not my fault! You scared me!" She protested.

"Not your fault? Do elaborate." Still deadly calm.

"You startled me. If you hadn't shouted, then I wouldn't have dropped the useless potion!" She stomped her foot. Her young age was very apparent in the way that she held herself in that moment, however Severus had raised her to be better than that. Too late, she realized her mistake.

"Useless potion?" He wasn't calm anymore. Not even close. His arm reached into his pocket, and before he knew what he was doing, he had cast a curse at the girl.

The aftermath was pure chaos. Neither remembered much, pieces here and there, but nothing concrete; Flashes of crimson on Maren's collar and on Severus' hands, the green of the robes that the St. Mungo's healers wore.

Severus remembered sitting by Maren's bed, thinking about what he had done. It was an overreaction, but he would never admit it. He was too proud, it was too cliche.

It wasn't long before she was back to full health. The only thing that remained of the incident, was a long scar that stretched from her collarbone to mid back.

The two didn't talk about it, there wasn't much to say. Nothing like that ever happened again. Neither were proud of it either. Maren did her best to hide the scar, and Severus never told anyone what happened.

Maren did care for him, he had raised her after all. It's hard not to feel grateful towards someone who hasn't given you many reasons to hate them.  
She knew what a family was supposed to look like, and she figured, if she did everything he asked, if she was completely devoted, he'd give her something in return.

So that's what they both did. Devoted in a sense that, that was how it worked. Not because they loved each other, but just because. It was a tacit agreement, they would respect each other, so long as they were under the same roof.

* * *

Hello! I decided to move a story I had on Quotev over here. I'm still writing it on Quotev, but I'm also going to post it on here. I hope you enjoy, and even if you didn't, leave a review! They are my motivation to write more.

-Lizard


	2. A World All My Own

There was something special about King's Cross Station that September first. The muggles making their own ways through the station sensed this, but made no remark. One man in a gray overcoat wove his way through a group of teenagers that never seemed to appear except on September first. He was a routine man, having taken the same route for nearly fifteen years, he prided himself on remembering such things.

If the man might have listened closely, he would have heard many peculiar conversations among the children: "Did you catch the latest Harpies score? I heard they crushed France…" "Goodness! How many Muggles are there? This would be so much easier if we could just apparate!" "Don't forget about your Charms homework…"

He had, occasionally caught such strange conversations, but payed them no heed, deciding that children had such odd ways of speaking now a days, and he mustn't trouble himself with keeping up with it all. It would only continue to change, and leave him in the dust.

Among the many young people making their way through the station was a dark haired witch -although he didn't know that's what she was-. She didn't dilly-dally, but purposefully made her way through the crowds. She had grown up in the last few years, the man noted. For once again, he was a particularly observant muggle. The young woman had always been a subject of interest to him.

Perhaps it was the way she dressed? A dark knee-length skirt and matching blouse along with a hat, shoes, gloves and a very strange coat made it looked like she had stepped right out of the 1930s.

Or maybe the strange way her eyes swept the crowd, even when she was young. She always seemed to disappear around Platforms 9 and 10, but is muggle brain simply came up with the excuse that she had boarded a train, for it refused to believe that she simply vanished.

The man shook his head and continued on his way. There was no doubt a fresh stack of paperwork waiting for him on his desk in his office, Mr. Davis would need help with his as well…

And so, King's Cross continued along, completely and blissfully unaware of the war brewing right under its nose.

The dark haired witch had indeed disappeared and reappeared on Platform 9 ¾ . It was to be her 6th year at _Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._ It was a warm day, the sun was peaking through the clouds. The steam of the _Hogwarts Express_ cast a surreal glow around the crowds.

"Maren!" The witch whipped her head around, quite displeased at being torn from her daydream, but smiled at the sight of a head of platinum blonde hair -belonging to none other than the Slytherin King Draco Malfoy- making its way towards her. "Out of the way!" He snapped at and unassuming second year, she squealed and hurried out of the way. "Mar, mother and father are still here, perhaps you'd like to say goodbye?"

She agreed, and made her way through the throngs of witches and wizards towards the two older Malyfoys. There was no mistaking, the beginning of the war had taken its toll. Lucius Malfoy's eyes were vacant, and Narcissa Malfoy wasn't her usual pristine self.

Maren's goodbye to Lucius was cordial enough,but as Maren turned to the older witch, Narcissa beckoned her closer. "We missed you this year." she said softly. There was no denying, Narcissa Malfoy was beautiful, even with the stress of her husband having been sent to Azkaban still looming over her.

"Keep an eye on my Draco, would you?" it was a simple request, but held much weight. With Draco's, _task_ he would need more help than ever.

"Of course. I won't let him out of my sight." she smirked, and turned to follow her friend to the train. Narcissa had been as much her mother as Severus had been her father. She turned around and waved, smiling at the two pure blooded wizards, who had begun to make their way home.

"We'll have to head to the Prefect meeting, but I'd like to set my things down first." Maren said, and she made her way to the carriage that the Slytherin sixth years had commandeered.

Draco followed, agreeing that it would be a good idea to set his things down too. He observed the witch walking in front of him. She was by no means the prettiest witch, but she still had some charm. Her cheekbones were high, and skin pale. If it weren't for her dark hair, she could have easily passed for a Malfoy.

"Draco!" Pansey Parkinson called from across the car, she had been waiting for him to turn up in order to flaunt her new blouse. However, when he simply nodded and rushed out following Maren she was quite peeved.

It was no secret that she fancied Draco, so when he barely acknowledged her she was not a fun witch to be around. Tracey attempted to cheer her up: "he'll come around, you'll see." But Panesey would have none of it. She commenced her sulking until he would return.

"I know these are dangerous times, but you all still have responsibilities!" Maren mocked the head girl with a ridiculously high pitched voice on her way back to the Slytherin car with Draco. They understood, and it wasn't as if they could just slack off. There would always be repercussions for that sort of thing.

She said so to Draco, earning a half hearted laugh. He had been distracted, but she quickly changed the way her thoughts were headed. She knew why, but it wouldn't do anyone any good to dwell upon it. Draco would cross that bridge when he came to it.

All to soon, a young Ravenclaw girl, a third year, Maren guessed entered the cabin.

"Y-you're Maren Capulet?" With a nod from Maren the girl continued, "P-professor Slughorn a-asked me to give y-you this." She stuttered, and handed Maren a rolled up pice of parchment, and proceeded to do the same for Blaise Zabini. It requested their presence in compartment C for lunch with their new professor.

"Are you going?" Draco asked as he peered over her shoulder. Maren shrugged.

"I suppose I am. Think you'll managed without me?" she rolled her eyes and hurried after Blaise, shooting her friend a smirk as she closed the door behind her.

* * *

"Ah! Maren, dear!" Professor Slughorn called when she entered with Blaise "And Blaise, how's your mother?" he grinned, giving the boy no time to answer, before ushering them to a seat. Maren took her place across from Ginny Weasley, and much to her dismay, next to Cormac McLaggen.

"Capulet, looking wonderful as always." He winked, scooting a little _too_ close. It was people like that, who really got on her nerves, so sure that they were wanted by everyone, worshiped by everyone. They never stopped to think that maybe, _just maybe_ someone thought that they needed to cool it.

"And that's all that matters, is it?"

"I-uh- well," That response always got people. Mclaggen scooted away, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"You'd think he'd get the message that _I'm not interested._ " She laughed with Weasley number, whatever she was. It wasn't difficult to fall into the role of good little school girl, because essentially, that's what she was. A witch going to school, to pass her O. and her N.E. in order to get a good job in the wizarding world, so she could earn money, and have a 'good life'. All in all, a pathetic life.

"I'm sure you all know Maren Capulet?" Slughorn beamed, he really was in a good mood. At least, Maren hoped it was just a good mood. She didn't know if she could stand a teacher always laughing and grinning, she had enough of that from the Weasley twins. "Fine girl, very fine!" more grinning. "Recived and outstanding in Potions and Herbology, along with so many other classes! Do we have a potioneer in our future?" Slughorn tried his hand at what she thought was him being subtle. It didn't work very well.

"I hope so sir," she smiled, deciding to play along, "Professor Snape is especially adamant that I work hard in those classes." another smile, that managed to charm even McGonagall, on a good day of course.

"And well he should be! Now Blaise..." The professor continued to make small talk with the rest of the students until none other than Harry Potter entered, along with Neville Longbottom.

"Harry m'boy!" Slughorn jumped up, making the already cramped compartment, feel even more so. "Good to see you! Good to see you! And _you_ must be Neville Longbottom!" the round faced boy blushed and nodded. He looked pathetic, Maren almost pitied him. _Almost_. Instead she rolled her eyes as the two sat down, Potter was obviously the favorite. "Now do you know everyone? This is Blaise Zambini..." Maren zoned out for much of the introduction, until he got to her. "And of course, you know Maren Capulet. Everybody does." She glanced at Potter, but otherwise said nothing.

"Actually, Professor, I can't say I do," Oh he was so evil.

"That's funny, _Harry_ considering I was the one who tutored you in potions all of fourth and fifth year." Two could play at that game. The Gryffindor was smart enough to keep quiet, and accept his defeat.

"Is that so, Harry? Didn't you get an Exceeds Expectations? Miss Capulet seems to have done her job well." Professor Slughorn actually bought it, confirming Maren's suspicions that he would be an easy teacher. "And now Harry Potter, where to begin?" She mused that his cheeks must be quite sore from all the smiling. She said so to Weasley, and she nearly choked on her little pie. It was almost a pity she didn't. _Almost._

"The chosen one they're calling you now!" He rambled on, but as usual, Maren wasn't actually paying attention. She'd learned after all her years at Hogwarts, that if one simply kept a pleasent face, and occasionally made a comment, everything went smoothly. Blaise must have done something, because the redhead in front of her snapped,

"Yeah Zabini, because you're so talented...at posing..." Maren laughed out loud, and Blaise glared at her, a slightly irked look on his face, no doubt at the fact that a fifth year Gryffindor blood traitor had called him out.

"Excuse me, professor?" Maren interrupted, "I just remembered, I have a few other things to take care of, prefect duties and such," she smiled sweetly, already her cheeks were hurting. In reality, she was quite bored, and simply wanted to go back to her friends.

"Of course my dear!" Slughorn grinned, "I expect to see you in my N.E.W.T class!"

"Definitely sir!" She called over her shoulder, smirking at a disgruntled Blaise. If that's what it took to wrap yet another professor around her finger, she was in for an easy ride. She made her way back to the Slytherin train car, and changed into her school robes.

"Hey Mar! Back so soon? Just couldn't stay away from me, could you?" Draco motioned her over to his table. The car was fairly empty, many students having gone to visit friends. It didn't stay that way for long though, as Slughorn released his captives, and others started getting ready for their arrival to school. Soon most of the original students were back in the car, leaving the corridors fairly empty.

"Whats wrong with this thing?" Blaise was standing at the sliding door that wouldn't close, slamming it repeatedly closed-or trying to at least. Suddenly, it flew open, and Blaise toppled over onto Gregory Goyle's lap. Now they had everyone's attention, until Goyle slammed the door shut, and threw Blaise off of him.

Draco simply laughed, and lay his head down on Maren's lap. She was tempted to shove him off, but one look at Pansey's face and she decided she'd suffer through it. "So, what did Slughorn want?" Draco questioned.

"Just trying to make up to well connected people." Blaise said, still glowering at Goyle. "Not that he managed to find many," The information didn't sit well with Draco.

"Who else did he invite?"

"McLaggen, from Gryffindor, someone named Belby, from Ravenclaw-a real prat if you ask me- and Longbottom, _Potter_ and the one Weasley girl." Maren piped up, surprising herself at how much she remembered.

Draco sat up suddenly, "he invited _Longbottom?_ "

"Well I'd assume so, seeing as he was there." Maren replied indifferently.

"Potter, precious Potter, obviously he'd want to get a good look at _the Chosen One._ But the Weasley girl, whats so special about _her?_ "

"A lot of boys like her," Pansey joined in, watching Draco for his response, "Even you think she's good looking, don't you Blaise? And we all know how hard you are to please!" Blaise replied, something about Blood Traitors, but once again, Maren wasn't listening, she simply looked out the window, nodding along every once in a while. Finally, they had arrived, and everyone began to pack up, their conversation about Slughorn and the Dark Lord ended.

Maren turned, waiting for Draco, who seemed to be taking an extra amount of time to pack up his things, to catch up. "You go on ahead, I just want to check something." She shrugged, and hurried to catch up with the rest of the gang, joining in on talking about Quidditch, and classes.


	3. Can't I?

"You did _what_?" Maren was looking at Draco, her face full of disbelief. How idiotic could people get?

"I petrified Potter, and broke his nose." He replied, looking around smugly, as if everyone should bow down to him. Pansey looked ready to do just that, so long as he would ride off into the sunset with her. Maren simply shook her head, and went back to eating her chicken. Already Draco and Potter were at each other, and they hadn't even had any classes yet.

The ceiling glittered with thousands of little stars, each doing their best to shine the brightest, so that a young wizard would point, and make a wish with the hopes that it would one day come true. In a way, that's what all of the students at Hogwarts were doing, grappling for the top spot. The place that would shoot them to the top. The place that was already taken, all because the person hadn't died as an infant.

"It was like this," he repeated for the umpteenth time, miming kicking Potter in the face, effectively breaking his nose. Naturally, everyone at the Slytherin table applauded. "You should have seen him, it was pathetic!" More laughter and applause. Maren clapped along with them, Potter should have known better, spying on them like that.

Soon, Dumbledore made his way to the front of the room. Almost instantly, a wave of quiet rushed over the students and staff. "The very best of evenings to you!" He opened his arms wide, addressing the whole room. One of his hands was blackened and dead looking. Whispers went up through the hall, students musing what must've happened to their Headmaster.

"Nothing to worry about," he said, shrugging the sleeve of his robe over the hand. "Now... to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you..."

"Which curse do you reckon did that?" Tracey Davis leaned over.

"I dunno, his hand looks dead." Maren replied. In reality, she had quite a few guesses as to which curse it was, but she had no intention of sharing it. Maren almost felt bad for the old fool, but there was still the nagging feeling that he was indeed just an old fool. Professor Dumbledore was getting old, weather or not one wanted to admit it or not. "I'll ask Snape what he thinks." It felt odd, calling Severus by his last name, but it had to be done, a form of respect.

"...and Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"Those wishing to play for their House Quidditch trans should give their names to their head of house as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise." Tracey once again decided to make a comment.

"Are you gonna try out again this year?" She asked, elbowing Maren in the ribs.

"Ouch! I'm not sure, the hight really got to me last year. I might just stick to my potions..." She trailed off. Maren enjoyed Qidditch, just not the fact that they were so high off the ground. She had a horrible fear of falling.

"We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year, Professor Slughorn!" On cue, the old professor stood up, a jolly grin on his face. "a former colleague of mine, he has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master!" Both of them looked to happy for their own good. The exclamations of students could be heard throughout the hall, some outraged, some curious, and some excited.

"Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"No!" Came the cry of who else but Potter. Maren scoffed at the look on his face, Tracy flat out giggled. The Slytherin table was in an uproar as well, but for entirely different reasons. Two professors at Hogwarts would be Slytherins. Things were really starting to look up.

"Did you know?" Tracy asked, "that Snape was going to be the Defense teacher?" she looked extremely happy, and Maren couldn't help but smile as she nodded.

Dumbledore, completely oblivious that what he said was so life changing for so many as usual, waited a few moments before continuing on to a completely new topic, one much less trivial and much more surreal.

"Now, as everybody in this hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once ore at large and gaining strength." The silence wasn't one of an enamored crowd, it was tense, as if liable to snap at any moment. Maren sent a look to Draco who was making his fork hover in mid air, and _not paying attention_ to the headmaster, but then again, she didn't pay attention to half of the things anyone said, so who was she to pass judgment.

"I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how must care each of us at Hogwarts must take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new more powerful ways, but we all must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student or staff. I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within our outside of the castle, to report it to a member of staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and others' safety." the old wizards blue eyes swept the room, resting a moment on Potter and then Draco, and he smiled once more.

Tracy and Maren made their way down to the dungeons, the latter only half listening to the former, going on and on about an attractive Durmstrang boy she'd met over the summer holidays. Thoughts were swirling around in her head, how far was Potter willing to go in order to convict Draco of being a Death Eater? If she were in his place she would be focusing all of her energy on how to kill the Dark Lord, not convicting one of the younger members of his army.

Her mind flashed to the mark on her skin, the one she had taken willingly, and then to Draco. On the outside, he seemed just as vain and silly as always, but she knew him better. He didn't know what the hell he was doing, and it scared him. However whenever she would try and confront him about it he would simply brush her off, claiming she was jealous, and not to meddle.

"Hello? Earth to Maren? Where in the name of Merlin did you go?" Tracy was obviously trying to get the attention of her friend, to no avail. "Theo Nott, making his way towards you-"

"Crap!" Maren looked up guiltily at the looks she was getting.

"Whats wrong?" Tracy tried to hide a grin, but miserably failed.

"I may or may not have flirted just a teensy tinesy bit with him earlier?" it came out as more of a question than an answer as the dark haired boy approached the girls.

"You brought this on yourself." her friend laughed, and left her to fight her own way out.

"What was that all about?" Theo laughed, settling himself on the couch across from her. "You seemed pretty upset earlier."

"Oh, you know the usual, _I forgot to do my charms work over the summer_ upset is more like it." In reality, Maren had finished her charms work, she just didn't have the heart to tell her friend she didn't like him. _Like that._

"Gasp! _Maren Capulet,_ not doing her work?" He was definitely entertaining. "This is like, the biggest upset since, since..."

"Since Draco actually smiled at a first year?" Maren piped up helpfully, sending a grin to her best friend, who sent her an eye roll in return.

"So, about that charms work, would you like some help?" Theo smiled, he looked so innocent, but Maren didn't want to be stuck in the common room any longer than she had to be.

 _Thats really nice of you Theo, and I see what your trying to do, and I'm not interested, I actually have all of my work done and just didn't want to talk to you thats why I yelled, have a nice evening._ "Thats okay, I'm really tired, and wouldn't be able to focus on it anyways. I'll finish it tomorrow morning."

Why couldn't she just turn him down? She'd done so with so many other boys, it shouldn't have been that hard. But it was, and it was something she was just going to have to live with.

* * *

Severus Snape paced the length of his room, thoughts swirling around in his head. Maren looked so happy surrounded by her friends, by magic. He wished he could keep the grin on her face in the months to come. He wished he could keep her away from everything that was to come. It was possible he loved the girl more than he loved Lily, but it wasn't the same. He had raised her, cared for her. He had wiped the tears from her eyes when she had scraped her knee, or fallen out of a tree.

He had taught her to walk, and talk. He had taught her the truth of the world, that it was a cold cruel world. You could trust few, and those you could were just waiting to turn on you. He had done everything he could to make sure she didn't end up like him, yet when he truly looked at her, al he saw was his reflection. A Slytherin who shouldn't be a Slytherin. Someone hopelessly in love with life itself, knowing that it would brake them in the end.

He had promised he'd do anything for Albus Dumbledore, but he wasn't sure he wanted to anymore. He wasn't sure he wanted to keep putting his life on the line, to continue to play a game of lies that could only end one way with the most powerful dark wizard the world had ever known. He wasn't sure that he wanted to go through with it anymore.

The thoughts crashed over him like a tidal wave over a small seaside cottage. The weight threatened to pull him down. The only thought that stopped him from rushing to Dumbledores office was Lily. What would she say? He had promised to keep her son safe. He had promised to give him a chance. But if it weren't for him, Lily might still be alive. They might have made up, he might be sending her an owl telling her about how he had finally gotten the position he'd been after for so long.

Severus Snape was many things, reckless was not on of them. But he didn't want to keep up the facade anymore. He didn't want to keep pretending anymore. He was always there to help someone else, but who was there to help him? Who was there for him when he fell down and scraped his knee? When life became to overbearing and he had to turn to the bottle of fire whiskey in his cupboard for solace?

He was alone in the world. Or he would be as soon as the year was over. There was no way Maren would look at him the same after he played the puppet. The old fool took him for granted, he had to do what was asked of him. And he couldn't say anything. He was walking on a thin rope as it was. One step to far in the wrong direction would send him careening into the churning frozen waters below.

How long would he last? Not long, not long at all. It was in this moment that he realized he was completely and utterly alone in the world. There wasn't a soul who truly knew what was going on in his tormented mind, what he'd been through, and what he had yet to do. Life was tossing him around for its own enjoyment, and no one batted an eyelash. He was just another pawn, being used to get someone somewhere only to be tossed away when he could no longer be of use.

He didn't know what else to do, other than play his part, and silently scream that something was wrong. What had he done? Who had he allowed himself to become? He had done so many horrible things, and yet here he was, continuing to make the decisions that would get him killed, because he would be killed, and he knew it. There was no getting around it, and when he was killed, he would be going straight to hell.

Was it all just a game to Albus? Stay up all night plotting his own death, only to offer a confused and scared student candy and the promise that everything would be alright in the end. How could he say something like that? He was blatantly lying to hundreds of students.

The room suddenly felt too small, and the world too large. Things were suffocating and vast all at the same time. What was wrong with him? He was slowly falling apart he knew, but he couldn't loose it now. He had a job to complete. But was it so wrong to want to give up? He had know from an early age that life was a cruel and angry trick, but that didn't stop him from wanting something more from it.

* * *

 _ **Hello! It's me! The Author! Right then, thank you for reading, and giving this the time of day. ((or night, as the case may be.)) Remember, reviews are my motivation! Also, anything you'd like to see in the future? I already have most of it planned out, but I'm willing to change things around.  
**_


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